LOCAL pilots are set to take to the air after the Port Lincoln Flying Club was recently approved as a remote training facility. After multiple requests to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority the club is delighted to provide the service for the region. The agreement with Aerostar Aviation means a private instructor will be based out of Port Lincoln on a fortnightly basis. The resident pilot will also provide training out of Wudinna following their stay in Port Lincoln. Previously, Eyre Peninsula residents had been forced to travel to Parafield to get their Private Pilot's Licence (PPL). The club also expanded its facilities to include a bedroom and an improved kitchen to provide accommodation for the resident pilot instructor. Flying club captain Barry Besold said the club could now offer flight training and an introduction to flying for those curious about aviation. "There hasn't been a resident instructor in Port Lincoln for a very long time," he said. "The agreement has put Port Lincoln in quite a unique position." Pilot hopefuls are required to log 50 flying hours to successfully attain a private licence. An hour of flight training at the Port Lincoln facility costs $215 and $225 for Wudinna, due to an accommodation fee. The introduction to flying also teaches students about ground logistics including mechanics, meteorology and load distribution. Five local residents are in the process of attaining their Private Pilot's Licence but flying club president Kevin Warren expected that number to grow. "It only takes about 15 hours of assisted training before they are allowed to practice on their own," he said. "It only takes you an hour to fly to Adelaide from Lincoln." Mr Besold said the opportunity to gain a PPL within Port Lincoln could also build on the club's 60 members.